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I have suffered from severe treatment-resistant depression since childhood, but that's completely irrelevant - anecdotal experiences are no substitute for good

I have suffered from severe treatment-resistant depression since childhood, but that's completely irrelevant - anecdotal experiences are no substitute for good data. The best available data suggests that social media has a mix of positive and negative effects on self-harm and suicidal behaviour, with no clear net effect. Ill-conceived policy with a poor evidence base may stifle healthy conversation and connection, while doing little or nothing to reduce harms. https://dx.doi.org/10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0077555 https://dx.doi.org/10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0077555 If you sincerely believe that your daughter's phone is trying to kill her, then take away her damned phone.

bschelsea 8y ago
PLOS One has very little reviewing standards and accepts almost all papers. Given how strongly linked smartphones are to all aspects of life. You are vastly underestimating difficulty of taking aways someone’s smartphone. Since worst case you can ask Cops and Telecom provider for location.
- trophycase 8y ago
  So block/delete instagram? I agree that something should probably be done, but I had to take the same steps to block reddit and the like.
  - bschelsea 7y ago
    I completely agree with you, except Apple indiscriminately destroyed an entire industry of parental control apps under guise of Privacy. How is a parent supposed to enforce this (blocking Instagram).
    - geofft 7y ago
      With Apple's built-in parental control tech? Literally Apple only killed the industry once they made a free alternative that does exactly this. Wanting to be a bad parent is one thing, but at least get your facts straight.
      - DanBC 7y ago
        > Wanting to be a bad parent There's no need for that.
      - bschelsea 7y ago
        That’s false, alternatives offered by Apple don’t even come close to functionality provided by third party apps. E.g. easily using the browser instead of app.
        icebraining 7y ago
        A quick search shows it lets you block sites too[1], although you have to enable the porn blocker to do so, for some daft reason. What do you have in mind that can't be done using that, and which was possible using a now-banned app? [1] https://www.cultofmac.com/570719/block-website-iphone-ipad/ https://www.cultofmac.com/570719/block-website-iphone-ipad/
- orhmeh09 8y ago
  That is not true about PLOS One and it’s not a line to just drop whenever anyone links to a study on there. Please substantiate these kinds of statements.
  - robotresearcher 7y ago
    It does have an unusual editorial policy: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/reviewer-guidelines https://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/reviewer-guidelines "Unlike many journals which attempt to use the peer review process to determine whether or not an article reaches the level of 'importance' required by a given journal, PLOS ONE uses peer review to determine whether a paper is technically rigorous and worthy of inclusion in the published scientific record."
DataWorker 8y ago
It’s not the phone but the companies that gather user data which is then used to psychologically influence people.
sandworm101 8y ago
Taking away a teenagers phone might be an answer, but it comes with risks. Disconnecting a child from their peer group should not be done casually. (let's not kid ourselves. That's what taking a phone away means.) It may have the desired effect, but will likely have a great many unexpected effects too. And I would bet good money that she would acquire another phone very quickly.

bschelsea 8y ago

PLOS One has very little reviewing standards and accepts almost all papers. Given how strongly linked smartphones are to all aspects of life. You are vastly underestimating difficulty of taking aways someone’s smartphone. Since worst case you can ask Cops and Telecom provider for location.

trophycase 8y ago
So block/delete instagram? I agree that something should probably be done, but I had to take the same steps to block reddit and the like.
- bschelsea 7y ago
  I completely agree with you, except Apple indiscriminately destroyed an entire industry of parental control apps under guise of Privacy. How is a parent supposed to enforce this (blocking Instagram).
  - geofft 7y ago
    With Apple's built-in parental control tech? Literally Apple only killed the industry once they made a free alternative that does exactly this. Wanting to be a bad parent is one thing, but at least get your facts straight.
    - DanBC 7y ago
      > Wanting to be a bad parent There's no need for that.
    - bschelsea 7y ago
      That’s false, alternatives offered by Apple don’t even come close to functionality provided by third party apps. E.g. easily using the browser instead of app.
      - icebraining 7y ago
        A quick search shows it lets you block sites too[1], although you have to enable the porn blocker to do so, for some daft reason. What do you have in mind that can't be done using that, and which was possible using a now-banned app? [1] https://www.cultofmac.com/570719/block-website-iphone-ipad/ https://www.cultofmac.com/570719/block-website-iphone-ipad/
orhmeh09 8y ago
That is not true about PLOS One and it’s not a line to just drop whenever anyone links to a study on there. Please substantiate these kinds of statements.
- robotresearcher 7y ago
  It does have an unusual editorial policy: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/reviewer-guidelines https://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/reviewer-guidelines "Unlike many journals which attempt to use the peer review process to determine whether or not an article reaches the level of 'importance' required by a given journal, PLOS ONE uses peer review to determine whether a paper is technically rigorous and worthy of inclusion in the published scientific record."

DataWorker 8y ago

It’s not the phone but the companies that gather user data which is then used to psychologically influence people.

sandworm101 8y ago

Taking away a teenagers phone might be an answer, but it comes with risks. Disconnecting a child from their peer group should not be done casually. (let's not kid ourselves. That's what taking a phone away means.) It may have the desired effect, but will likely have a great many unexpected effects too. And I would bet good money that she would acquire another phone very quickly.